Periodic motor impairments in a case of 48-hour bipolar ultrarapid cyclingbefore and under treatment with valproate

Motor impairments of psychiatric patients can be assessed with digital reco rdings of handwriting tasks. The investigation of patients with bipolar aff ective disorders differentiates intraindividual changes related to the pati ent's fluctuating affective states. An unmedicated 67-year-old male with 48 -hour bipolar ultrarapid cycling was investigated during 8 consecutive days of ultrarapid cycling and 4 weeks later, after remission under treatment w ith valproate. The handwriting skills of the patient followed the same rhyt hmic changes of the psychopathology in the first part of the study and a st eady pattern in the second phase, after remission. Therefore, it can be ass umed that the handwriting skills reflect a state marker of the disease. Poo rer handwriting skills on the manic days, as compared to the depressive one s, support the hypothesis of a low arousal in manic patients. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.